Friday 21 November 2025
Today you have obtained the Lord’s agreement: to be your God; and for you to walk in his ways, to keep his statutes, his commandments, and his ordinances, and to obey him. Today the Lord has obtained your agreement: to be his treasured people, as he promised you, and to keep his commandments. (vs 17-18)
Background
When a sermon is preached, it is customary for the preacher to use the final few words to sum up what has been said and leave the congregation with a word of encouragement or challenge. In the version of the Bible I am using, there's a sub-heading (added by translators rather than in the original text) that reads ‘concluding exhortation'. Today’s verses can be seen as Moses’ conclusion to his previous teachings.
The passage speaks about a covenant between God and God’s people, although this specific word is not used. A covenant is a formal agreement, between two or more people or groups, in which both sides have obligations and expectations. On the one hand, the Lord agreed to be the Israelites’ God. God promised to set the people "high above all nations… in praise and in fame and in honour" (v. 19), a people holy, or set apart, for the Lord their God. This high status was not simply for their sake, but to bring honour and glory to God. Keeping their side of the covenant, the Israelites agreed to be God's ‘treasured people’ and keep his commandments. The call ‘to walk in his ways’ paints a picture of living a life centred on and faithful to God. The Israelites were signing up to this.
A covenant can sound very ‘legal’ but this covenant is essentially about relationship. Covenant is mentioned in several other places in the Bible (eg Jeremiah 31:31-34; Mark 14:22-25). Every year Methodist churches hold a ‘covenant service’ where people are invited to renew their covenant relationship with God. The covenant is introduced with these words: "God made a covenant with the people of Israel, calling them to be a holy nation, chosen to bear witness to his steadfast love by finding delight in the law. The covenant was renewed in Jesus Christ our Lord, in his life, work, death and resurrection. In him all people may be set free from sin and its power, and united in love and obedience. In this covenant God promises us new life in Christ. For our part, we promise to live no longer for ourselves but for God."
To Ponder:
- Have you ever taken part in a Methodist Covenant service? If so, do you find this a helpful way of renewing your relationship with God? Are any words especially meaningful for you?
- If you would like to know more about the Methodist Covenant service, it can be found here: Covenant service - The Methodist Church
Prayer
Lord, thank you for the gift of new life you offer in Jesus Christ. Please show me what it means to walk in your ways. Amen.
Bible notes author: The Revd Kate Cambridge
Kate is a presbyter in the Winchester, Eastleigh and Romsey Circuit. In her free time she enjoys doing laundry (!), spending time with her family and wrestling ball point pens off her miniature poodle.